Will Spry Fishing Report for Reel Life February 2019

Mackenzie Country Report

The beauty of summer lies in the long, warm and sunny days, with the heat of sun on your back and the high pressure systems, gently supporting your whole being. The cold, sharp fronts that punctuate the heat can come as both a welcome relief at times and at the same time, drop you back down into a more sedate mood. I talk a lot about the weather in my reports I find, but feel that it is justified often, as it not only drives our moods, but seemingly that of the trout. There is a sharp difference in trout behaviour when things are settled and warm as opposed to cool and unsettled. The long, drawn out days are when cicadas are at their peak and trout seem to just go on and on, feeding away without a care for what's around them, making an angler's (and guides!) life very easy to manage on the fish catching front.

We've enjoyed quite a bit of that this summer, with some excellent cicada days; fish feeding seemingly without a care. However, this can change as quickly as a high country cold front, with fish dropping out and sulking on the bottom of the stream or lake seemingly without reason. However, such is the joy and frustration at times of fishing. The memories of the great days make getting through the tougher days, just that much easier.

Needless to say, we've enjoyed some great summer time fishing so far this season. Both lakes and rivers have produced large numbers of very well conditioned fish. Long may it last this year - with the hot summer we've had thus far, I'm hoping it will.

The hydro canals continue to be well frequented and continue to bring fish for those who stick at it and learn to work the water well. It seems the magic hours are around dawn and a couple of hours before sunset - both of which mean the locals can fit in a couple of hours of fishing both before and after work, which seems to be the norm. A variety of methods are producing fish, which just goes to show that the canals are a great way to while the hours away in pursuit of great trout and salmon. The staff at both Southern Alps Fishing, and Hunting and Jake's Hardware in Twizel, are more than happy to help guide you through a few methods for targeting the fish, so why not drop in there and seek some advice and local tackle which is proving it's worth at the time?